Journaling - The Write Stuff For You?

@pvctom2021 I hope you have gotten that call back now, and you can rest easier getting things into place. It's an awkward situation to line up appointments and procedures with multiple doctors, who might be in different areas. I bet more than one of us members have had to deal with that! I find that asking to be placed on a cancellation list to be considered if they get an opening, sometimes has worked out to move an appointment up. Another good journaling subject, writing about the frustration you might be facing to get things coordinated.
Ginger

@gingerw

Thanks Ginger for your response and your support.. I made contact with the nice receptionist at the cardiology clinic and my notes were forwarded…but not yet reviewed as of earlier this morning…the same goes with down here at the GI office…his nurse was not in today..had a message left for her…both offices know each other’s fax numbers and my cell number…so maybe tomorrow I will know something…I’ve covered it all and then some, just short of perhaps 🤔 being a nuisance…my wife cancelled her PT initial consult..mentally just not up for it…can’t say as I blame her…I hope you’re doing well and it sounds like you are…I have a ton of admiration for you and everyone here like yourself…🙏pvctom

Hello to all

It’s a very muggy Sunday here in VA. This past week was very hectic for GAD and GI…finally got the auto serviced and inspected..and while sitting in the waiting area my cardiologist called and she issued an approval for this colonoscopy and as I asked had no problem sending a written authorization based on my last visit may 28th..she then faxed the GI clinic here a Cardiology release form that she filled out…then I checked with GI doctor’s office and they said they had not received…back and forth finally Cardiology checked and sent
the release…GI booked my procedure for Sept 10..the earliest appointment they had at 11:15….I am still a lot better but stomach belly button discomfort and spasms…in short, I’m a nervous wreck…praying a short prayer and posting here have helped.. and me wife has helped me immensely…I ordered a Benchmade EDC knife and paid for next day delivery so I’m anxiously awaiting an email giving me a one time code to delivery 🚚 driver…if I am out I can call my wife with the code number and she can give it to the driver…hate these all day delivery windows…so far still not out for delivery 🚚…they have a 10pm window for fulfilling next day delivery….
My wife has a Thursday appointment with her Orthopedic PA and X-ray…and we both have dermatologist at Belvoir Tuesday…my next door neighbor is taking off on another cruise out of Seattle for 10 days to the San Juan Island and various stops…sounds beautiful…I haven’t had to take any Levsin since the 1st and 2nd day and they really seemed to help with the GI spasms and
Cramping…I wanted to mention that the nice travel agent who was working with us for an Ireland trip was stricken by a severe case of COVID for a month…she’s back to work now and we may go see her tomorrow….but we’ll see how it goes…well, I guess I’ll get going and hope all who come here are doing ok and have a safe and healthy week ahead..
🙏pvctom

I journal. I have found Danny Gregory 's SketchBookSkool via utube to be a marvelous help.

I appreciate you mentioning Danny Gregory's YouTube site. It looks great! Some great ideas.

Hello to all

Our trips to Belvoir dermatology went well.. I 95 traffic was miraculously clear and fast both ways..our visits went well and their was no problems..we got follow ups for Jan ‘25…we go to her orthopedic doctor for a follow up and a new X-ray today..hopefully that will go well…most all of my blood 🩸 labs came back negative, most of the stool cultures were negative however 2 came back with some unnerving results
1. Stool culture value :
no normal enteric flora
2. CalProtectin stool value :
421 high…
It was igniting my GAD where I had more gut spasms and diarrhea so I called the GI office…my doctor’s nurse called back and said not to get too worked up about the 421 number, she has seen much much much higher numbers..the other one she was going to have to get with the doctor when he return’s Thursday night…basically she said the 421 was a nonspecific marker for inflammation in the intestine and the colonoscopy would be able to check whatever it is…she said as did the doctor that the CT scan showed colitis..bottom line is colonoscopy on Sept 10…that’s living in the world for me today..wish all who come here a safe healthy week and weekend 🙏pvctom

I love journaling but have neglected it for a few years...this is encouraging me to start again...kept so many different kinds...some in code for privacy...(I had the bad experience when as teenager of someone breaking the lock on my little journal and teasing me about it..) I think I'll set aside sometime at night instead of going down the FB well of no return..(tho'FB helps me keep in touch with friends & family) I love writing....but painting takes up most of my time and it's also another form of journaling.BigThank you for this spurt of encouragement. I'm 85 and have a lot of thoughts. Got to get them down one way or another before it's too late.

@fromthehill I'll wager you're not alone when it comes to putting down journaling for a while, then returning to it! And, there are so many ways to journal, as we fellow members have illustrated. It's very easy to get distracted and tell ourselves, "oh, in a while I'll sit down and do that writing."

Your painting can be a way to journal, you know? Perhaps doing some drawing in pen and ink or watercolor within your journal pages!
Ginger

Very true...I carry a sketch book to every doc's appointment or anything that requires waiting and sometimes to music events...but never thought of them as journals....but of course they are.

Hello to all

Hope everyone here had a nice safe week and holiday weekend.. I did my usual walk today at the mall and am feeling very grateful for the ability to get around since my hip replacement.. I actually got through to the right GI clinician at Walter Reed Bethesda and she booked me for a TeleMed Dec 17 for an appointment for a colonoscopy for myself as a backup…I’m supposed to have it done September 10 down here at a Medical Clinic but my wife and myself wanted to keep everything at Walter Reed.. I’m still back and forth as to whether to have it down here in a week or wait for Dec 17 and have it up at Walter Reed…they’ve done all my past ones…
So for right now, it’s status quo..
I talked to my primary care doctor at Walter Reed and he’s fine with it…he went over all of my cultures and labs and said they all looked normal except for the inflammation marker which was non specific…I have wide mouth diverticula scattered throughout my Sigmoid Colon and it has been there before…that’s living in the world today for me…May all who come here have a safe and healthy week ahead 🙏pvctom